Concert Experiences (Good, Bad and Strange)

When a band puts on a good live performance, it only adds to the positive regard of their fans. At the same time, a bad show can put a permanent smear on a band's record as far as a group of fans are concerned. For better or worse, the way a band handles a live gig can make all the difference in the world, changing a listener's appreciation for their talent. Thinking back, the way I feel about any number of bands has been heavily influenced by what they were like in concert. Some exceeded expectations, some didn't live up to the hype, others were sadly predictable.

The first concert I ever attended was a Stone Temple Pilots show a couple years before the band called it quits for the first time in 2003. It was at a giant, grassy pavilion in Columbus, Ohio at the end of the summer. I wasn't some huge STP fan. It was more about tagging along for an adventure with my older brother, who ironically took me mostly for my own enjoyment and less for his own interest in the band. Regardless, the Pilots performed exactly as you would expect a jaded, weary, Top 10 kind of band would perform at stadium-level gig in central Ohio. They went through the motions, bantered with no one in particular in the audience and didn't play an encore. A glossy rock band was made no less glossy for their live demeanor.

Fast forward a good seven years later when I saw The Arcade Fire play at the exact same venue. It was in October but it was still hot and muggy. Winn Butler commented on that at the beginning of the show, not so much a complaint as a bit of commiseration. The band proceeded to put on one hell of a show. They had a palpable energy and an obvious love for their fans and their music. The Arcade Fire is a great band to literally see live. They take up an entire large stage and they often have to stack themselves just to make room for all the instruments. Their live renditions of even their most popular songs are different enough to make the experience more than just a performed album. At the time there were only two Arcade Fire albums, Neon Bible having been released only a couple months before. They nearly ran out of material, even including some barely-tested non-album material and an enthusiastic encore. I definitely went away respecting The Arcade Fire all the more.

It breaks my heart to admit it, but the worst concert I ever went to for my own enjoyment was a Mogwai show at the SoDo Showbox in Seattle. I adore Mogwai on their albums and I went in expecting a loud performance attended by dedicated fans. Sure, it was loud (not as loud as The Sleepy Eyes of Death at the Capitol Hill Block Party) and the crowd was okay, but I sincerely doubt that it was possible for the band to give less of a shit than they did that night. They forgot the ending of one of their own songs, so they just stopped in the middle. They played one song twice and made no real effort to fix a few technical problems that made the show choppy and sometimes downright grating. When their time was up, the band disappeared without so much as a "Good night". It's one thing for a platinum MTV act like Stone Temple Pilots to behave like a bunch of jobbers at a concert, but post-rock could use all the good will it can take.

The Internet has essentially taken the risk out of buying music. We can sample a song before we commit our pocket books to it, but we can't do the same with concerts. It's all up to the band whether or not to play a decent live show. Even in the digital age, proper dedication to performance can make a band's reputation.